Clippings from the Family Album
by Stitchpunk
Summary: "It's past midnight..." Ray said a quarter of an hour later. "We should get to bed soon."  "Just a few more minutes," Benny said quietly. "I like this song."  "There's no music playing anymore Benny." Snippets of life after the series end.
1. The Music Inside the Room

"It's been almost three hours..." Ray said quietly against Benny's shoulder.

"Just a few more minutes," Fraser replied as he held the man's lower back.

They'd been dancing for what seemed like forever in the dark, the room lit only by Christmas lights arranged in the shapes of the major constellations of the night sky as seen through the window of the small cabin Benny grew up in.

"It's past midnight..." Ray said a quarter of an hour later. "We should get to bed soon."

"Just a few more minutes," Benny said quietly. "I like this song."

"There's no music playing anymore Benny," Ray laughed. "The tape ended ten minutes ago."

"Listen then," Benny said. "I can hear it playing. Can't you?"

Ray stared up at Benny's face as they danced along to the inaudible music. His eyes flicked wider for a split second.

"I can hear it..." he said breathlessly.

Benny opened his eyes and stared down at him in surprise.

"You can?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Ray nodded. "The Last Waltz, right? Engelbert Humperdinck, nineteen-sixty-seven."

"...Exactly," Benny nodded. "You can really hear it?"

"Yeah..." Ray nodded. "But...it doesn't sound like it's coming from outside...It's here. In this room. Somehow."

"Yes," Fraser nodded. "Somehow."

"...Okay, a few more minutes," Ray nodded. "I like this song, too."

"Yes," Benny said and laid his cheek against Ray's hair. "I know you do. That's why I chose it."

"...Thanks," Ray smiled softly.

"You're very welcome," Benny smiled.


	2. Avoidance

"Ray, it would seem to me as if you've been avoiding me," Benny said, hands behind his back as if he were on official business as they stood in the bullpen.

"...I have been," Ray admitted.

"May I ask _why_?" Benny asked.

Ray leaned back against the desk behind him and put his hand to his head before taking it away and holding it in the air.

"Because I-" he began and moved his hand back to his forehead.

"Because you...?" Benny pushed.

"Because-...because I'm getting too close to you," Ray said quietly.

"_Too_ close?" Benny asked. "Ray, we just spent three months together in the mountains of the Northwest Territory, and _now_ you think we're getting too close?"

"Yes! No-! I mean-..." Ray stumbled over. He put his hand down on the desk by his hip and looked away. "Because-...because there's other people around now, and I _should_ be with them, and I'm _not_, and I don't _want_ to be, and I just-..."

"Why should you want to be with them over me?" Fraser asked.

"...Because I can't-...I just can't," Ray sighed, looking down as if ashamed.

"...Ray, are you breaking up with me?" Benny asked, his tone bordering on nervous.

"What? No! You don't wanna break up, do you?" Ray asked, honestly scared. "Because I'm not too attached yet!" It seemed to be a defense, not an allowance for the breakup to happen.

"Ray, what do you _mean_ by all of this?" Fraser asked, completely confused.

"I mean-..." Ray started before sighing and wiping the sides of his fingers over his forehead. "I mean-...Stella divorced me because-...because I got too close to her."

"Wait, why would she think you were too close?" Benny asked. "You _were_ _married_, am I right?"

"_Yes_, but she thought- She said I was too close and she needed some air, and I _tried_, but I just couldn't stay away because I loved 'er too much, because I was too attached, and _that's_ why she divorced me," Ray explained.

"...Ray, I'm not her," Benny said plainly. "If anything, I'm more like you."

Ray sighed and looked down.

"How are you more like me than her?" he asked.

"I get too attached, too," Fraser said. "When I was with Victoria-...I was going to go with her, Ray..." he admitted.

"Really?" Ray asked.

"We just spent three months of sick leave together completely alone and neither of us tired of each other, Ray," Fraser said flatly. "I don't think attachment issues are going to be a problem."

"...Yeah...I guess..." Ray said reluctantly, but Benny could see him smiling. He looked up at him finally and showed his sheepish grin willingly. "You really don't mind?"

"Ray..." Benny sighed and took his hat from the desk behind him, sliding his fingers along the edge of the brim. "I think that...at this point...if you were to break up with me, I would do anything to get you back. _Any_thing." He stared Ray straight in the eyes and set his hat back down. "And I think you would do the same."

The man across from him smiled and looked away, but he seemed to be happy with the statement.

"You really wouldn't mind if I-...If I acted to you like I did to her?" he asked.

"I would be insulted if you didn't," Benny smiled. "And like I said: I'd do the same for you."

"Good," Ray said shortly, looking back at him and grinning. "So we're good again?"

Benny nodded.

"We're good, Ray. But only if you agree to cease this ridiculous farce of yours," he reprimanded.

"Yeah," Ray said, properly abashed as he scratched the back of his head.

"Good," Fraser returned. "Then we should go home."

"My our home or your our home?" Ray asked.

"Your our home, I think," Benny said with a decisive nodded. "I like the lights on the walls. They remind me of stars."

"Yeah, especially since you arranged 'em like that like ya did on the ceiling, huh?" Ray smiled.

"Yes, especially since then," Benny nodded. "Well," he said and picked up his hat again, moving it to his front to hold it in both hands. "I think we should go then, don't you?"

"Yeah," Ray said and smiled. "Kiss," he said and flicked his finger inward towards himself in front of his chest.

Benny leaned in and gave him what he'd ordered, as he had every day since Ray had first started the habit almost three months previous.


	3. Children and Family

"Hey, Ray," Benny said one day as they sat at the breakfast table, him with his water and Raisin Bran and Ray with his Smarties coffee and a bowl of Fruity Pebbles mixed with Pops.

"Yeah, Benny?" Ray asked, looking up from his folded-back newspaper.

"Why did you start calling me Benny when after we left for our vacation together?" Fraser asked.

"Because Vecchio called you it," Ray replied easily.

"I don't understand," Fraser asked, taking another bite of just the bran part of his cereal.

"Well...I'm Ray, right? Not Stanley, not Kowalski...And he was Ray, right? Not Vecchio, not Raymond. So you were his Benny, and he was your Ray. And now _I'm_ your Ray, right? So you have to be my Benny," Ray explained.

"I see..." Benny nodded. "So it's a matter of possession."

"Well- _No_, not _possession_ exactly..." Ray said awkwardly.

"It's perfectly natural Ray. It's like when a male lion takes over a pride, he-" Benny began.

"I know what lions do," Ray stopped him. "And I'm not killing all your male children."

"I see," Fraser said. "Well...that's that then." He slid his bowl over to Ray and dropped his spoon in. "Do you want the raisins?" he asked.

"What, you don' wan' 'em?" Ray asked.

"Not particularly, and I know they're your favourite part," Benny said dismissively.

"Thanks," Ray nodded and took the offering.

Fraser leaned his chin on his interlaced fingers propped up on the table by his elbows. Just like many species of bird, he would present his mate with food and gifts, only his courtship with Ray would never end with a mating season's. They would be together forever. He would make sure of that. He waited a moment and then, as he knew he would, Ray slid his box of Smarties over to him. A sign of his acceptance of the gift.

"Here, you can have the rest. They're almost gone though," Ray told him. "I need to pick up some more today."

"We should go shopping after work," Fraser agreed. "We're out of milk as well, and we need the natural growth hormones and various vitamins and minerals if we're to be using up all our energy chasing after criminals."

"...Dude, you don't need to eat everything for the nutritional value," Ray sneered. "Live a little. Now eat yer Smarties."

"Did you know chocolate is rich in antioxidants?" Fraser asked, just to annoy him, though it didn't show on his honest-seeming face.

"I don't even know what an antioxidant is," Ray grimaced.

"It's a type of-" Fraser started.

"And I don't _want_ to know. Quit making candy healthy. You're ruining all the fun," Ray said, disgruntled by the fact that his favourite bad habit was turning out to be a good one.

"Sugar is also a good source of-" Benny started again.

"_Dude_!" Ray exclaimed. "Stop ruining it!"

Benny smirked.

"And the milk content is great for-" He cut himself off this time when he heard his partner's heavy sigh and watched his head fall into his hands.

"Gimme my Smarties back if yer not even gonna eat 'em right," Ray said and snatched the box from the far side of the table.

Benny let him, not really favouring the candies anyways. He was more of a Payday sort of man. The peanuts combined with caramel were good on long walks that called for both long- and short-term energy.

He would have told Ray this, but he seemed to be upset enough, meticulously counting the Smarties he poured into his hand before putting them into his mouth in a way that suggested he was taking a handful of pills. It was a usual habit when he was stressed out. Benny knew that his little joke hadn't been that much of a problem and wondered what the matter was.

"You're doing it again," he said.

"Doing what?" Ray asked grumpily.

"Taking candies in place of pain medication for your headache," Fraser replied. "What's wrong?" It was said more as an order than a question.

"Just this stupid job. Some kid stole a necklace off this lady and she's pushing for juvie and the kid's friggin' eight years old. Like he knew the thing was even hers. She left it sitting on the counter while she walked off and looked for her purse," Ray sighed as he thumped back in his chair. "I gotta question the kid when I get in. He's been sittin' in a cell overnight. No parents showed up yet."

"I've taken in strays before. If they don't show, we can always strike a deal with Welsh to take him for a few nights; just until his family comes to get him," Fraser suggested.

"_Yeah_," Ray scoffed. "If they show up at _all_."

"All the more reason to take him," Benny replied. "You don't want an innocent child to end up in fostercare."

"We can't take in a kid, Benny," Ray sighed.

"Well...we _could_," Fraser pushed. "If we were to find him a nice home soon after."

"And where're we gonna find _that_, huh?" Ray asked.

"I've no idea. But it's better than letting him stew in a cell until the court date," Fraser pointed out.

Ray sighed again.

"I guess that's true...and, I mean, you've done this before a couple times, right?" Ray asked.

"Yes, and I did quite well, if I do say so myself," Benny replied proudly.

"Well then..." Ray said. "Congratulations. It's a boy."

Fraser smiled.

"Thank you, Ray," he said.

Yes, he was well on his way to beginning a family with the man. All he needed was for Ray to see he was good with children, and it would be a done deal. He knew how much the man wanted kids, at least with Stella, and he would do his best to be everything she couldn't be for him.


	4. Pelly Bay

"So, Benny..." Ray said as they walked inside the building.

"Yes, Ray?" Fraser replied.

"When are we goin' on our adventure again?" Ray inquired. "We never did find the reachin' out hand last time."

"We can go anytime you like," Fraser replied contentedly as they started up the first flight of stairs. He was happy to know Ray wanted to restart it all again.

"I kinda like the idea...we have two weeks coming up soon...We could go then," Ray said. "It wouldn't be like last time...but it would be fun."

"I'm glad you liked the Northwest Passage as much as I do," Benny smiled at him. He unlocked the door to his apartment and let Ray in.

"Well, maybe not _that_ much," Ray grinned. "I do like indoor plumbing more than I thought."

"I could take it or leave it," Benny shrugged.

"I know," Ray smirked. "And yer weird fer it."

"Uh-uh, Ray. Remember that much of the world makes due without it. It's not a necessary thing," Benny reminded him.

"Off this subject now," Ray cut him off as he sat down at the dinner table. "Whatcha makin' me fer dinner?"

"Spaghetti sounds nice right now..." Fraser said thoughtfully.

Diefenbaker hopped through the window at the mention of his favourite dish and settled down on the carpet, staring hopefully up at his friend.

"Now, now, Dief," Benny reprimanded. "What have I told you about going out without your leash on?"

Diefenbaker cocked his head at him.

"No, it _wasn't_ my fault you didn't have it on when you went out. I specifically left it off you so you wouldn't!" Fraser frowned. He stared into Diefenbaker's eyes and the dog stared back. Finally, they both looked away. "No go clean up," Benny ordered. "I'm making dinner."

Diefenbaker nodded and trotted off to the bathroom to run himself a cold bath, knocking the faucets with his paws and jumping into the tub to roll around a bit and get the city grime off his fur without having to taste it too much.

"You know, Ray, Diefenbaker doesn't watch _you_ bathe," Benton pointed out.

Ray shook his head and walked back to the table.

"Your dog is weird," he muttered. "Almost as weird as you."

"Have you ever considered the fact that you're the weird one?" Fraser asked.

"I've considered it and then thrown the idea straight out," Ray gibed. "No one is as weird as you, Fraser."

"I see," Benny nodded. "Well, I'll just have to agree to disagree."

"Do what you want. Just get cookin' while ya do it," Ray urged, flicking his hand at the stove.

"Yes, sir," Benton nodded with a smile.

"So where do we start this time?" Ray asked. Benny looked at him questioningly. "The expedition for the hand. The reaching out one."

"Why don't you choose this time?" Benton offered.

"...How about Pelly Bay? We were almost there last time when decided on King William instead," Ray suggested.

"Good thinking," Benny nodded. He'd been about to put it forth it if Ray declined to answer.

"Good. Then it's decided," Ray nodded decisively. "Pelly Bay for two weeks. Next month. And the surrounding areas."

"Pelly Bay," Benton agreed. "And the surrounding areas."


End file.
